Disguised Blessing
by Garowyn
Summary: [To Be Revised] A thunderstorm is raging outside the Kaiba mansion and Mokuba is very frightened by it. Seto changes that. Non yaoi.


**A/N: I do not own YGO.**

**

* * *

**  
Mokuba Kaiba sat on the soft beige leather couch, watching a favorite show of his on the wide-screen television set. Seto Kaiba, the older of the two brothers, was busy at his computer, as usual, in his home office. It was just after dinner and a few clouds were coming in with the roaring wind. Dark clouds. Rain clouds. Thunder clouds.  
  
Ever since he was a child, Mokuba had hated storms and hated thunderstorms without rain even less. It was one of his biggest fears and he hadn't told anyone, not even Seto. He just sort of hid that fear from everyone and tried to appear nonchalant whenever a storm brewed in.  
  
However, he would not be able to this time.  
  
Mokuba's show was suddenly interrupted by a news flash with a loud beeping sound. "Warning!" Announced the anchorman, sitting behind the standard news desk. "A thunderstorm, of which is reported to be the worst ever in the history of Domino City, is coming in from the West. Stay indoors and..." Mokuba sighed in despair as the anchorman continued on, issuing warnings. At least it was not a typhoon or tsunami. Regardless, it was not good news for him. Thunderstorm on its way...the worst one ever.  
  
Mokuba got up from the couch and went to the window. He gasped when he saw a lightning bolt streak through the sky with sharp edges like that of a knife. Lightning wasn't so bad to look at; in fact, it was spectacular, one of nature's greatest light shows, more fascinating than mere fireworks. But Mokuba was still afraid nonetheless.  
  
The first clap of thunder was heard and he yelped running back to the couch. Another followed and Mokuba sat there shaking, feeling uneasy in the pit of his stomach. Thunderstorms always reminded him of terrible things that had happened to him throughout the ten years of his life. The boy quickly reached over and turned on the lamp. Then he decided to turn on all the other lights in the living room but he did not count on the fact that the power could shut off any minute...  
  
Meanwhile, in his home office, Seto had saved his work and shut down his computer. 'No sense in continuing if there's a storm.' He thought as he stood up from his chair, stretched, rubbed his eyes, and made a beeline for the doorway. All of a sudden, the power shut down and the whole house was covered in a blanket of darkness. Seto narrowed his eyes, clearly not happy with the turn of events. Luckily, he knew the whole mansion by heart and knew exactly where the flashlights were kept. He'd grab one and head for the basement with the intention of turning on the emergency power.  
  
Suddenly he heard Mokuba's scream filling the air and his ears. It sounded deathly terrifying. "Mokuba!" Seto rushed to the living room as fast as he could through the dark of the storm and of the night. If need be, he could also run through the mansion without a light on. It demonstrated the fact that he had a brilliant photographic memory.  
  
"Seto!" Mokuba yelled as he held a pillow to him, squeezing his eyes shut. He dared not look outside the window again. He tried his best to shut out the sound of the thunder. Then he felt two hands, trying to pry his arms away from his face. The thunderstorm had brought along a predator, a beast, stalking him, preying on him, attacking using his fear... "AHH!"  
  
"Mokuba, calm down, it's me!" Seto tried desperately to quiet the child's hysterics. "What's wrong?" Being the person he was, Seto barely noticed the storm raging outside.  
  
"It's thundering!" Mokuba cried, tears falling down his face. "It's thundering..."  
  
Seto raised an eyebrow. "Why, yes...it is." He replied in a tone.  
  
"Don't you see!" Mokuba looked at his brother in the eye with slight anger. "I'm terrified of thunder!"  
  
"You are?" Seto frowned. "I never knew that. Mokuba, why didn't you tell me this before?"  
  
"I didn't want you to think I was a wimp or something!" Mokuba sobbed. "I didn't want anyone to think that about me! You're always the one who's the bravest, the one who does everything. I'm just a tagalong and-"  
  
"Mokuba, stop it!" Seto yelled. Mokuba ceased his open sobbing but continued to cry silently. "Mokuba," Seto began in a much gentler tone. "You are not a wimp. Anyone could be afraid of thunder." Seto took a seat beside Mokuba on the long and grand couch. "And everyone has at least one greatest fear. You've done many things to. You have a kind heart and you've shown compassion for those whom I could not." Seto smiled faintly, remembering.  
  
Mokuba sniffed. "You're not mad that I didn't tell you?" More thunder filled the mansion and Mokuba gasped but his brother put a hand on his shoulder, reassuring him.  
  
Seto shook his head, the soft light of the flashlight bringing out the warm glint in his eyes. "I'm not angry." He paused. "What say you and I turn the emergency power on and...maybe play a game?" A twinkle in his eye.  
  
Mokuba smiled, his eyes starting to dry. "Okay. As long as it's not Duel Monsters!" He added quickly. Seto stood up and took Mokuba's hand. Mokuba didn't know the mansion as well as Seto did so he clung onto Seto's hand tightly, glad things seemed to be turning out okay.  
  
Together, they made their way down into the large basement. Seto knew exactly where the power box was and headed straight for it. The thunder sounded even more frightening for it sent an echo throughout the basement. Lightning filled parts of the basement through the windows.  
  
Seto opened the fuse box and pushed a couple of buttons. Nothing happened. He grunted and pushed them again, the second time at a quicker pace. Still, nothing happened.  
  
"Seto, what's wrong?" Mokuba shivered and moved closer to his brother when the thunder sounded again.  
  
"Emergency power is not responding." Seto replied, narrowing his eyes at the fuse box. 'The storm must be pretty bad...'  
  
"What are we going to do?"  
  
Seto thought for a moment. "We'll just have to find some more flashlights and maybe even some candles."  
  
Lightning flashed and thunder was heard not more than four seconds later. Mokuba whimpered slightly and looked back up at his brother. "Can we go upstairs now? It's less scary there."  
  
Seto nodded and he shut the fuse box and the two Kaiba brothers made their way back up the stairs, down the hallway, into the large kitchen, and searched through a cabinet where they found an extra flashlight and two candles. Seto faced Mokuba. "Do you know where the old board games are?" He asked.  
  
Mokuba frowned. "I think they're in the storage room...on the second floor." He responded. "Do you have to go up there? I don't want to stay down here alone."  
  
"You're coming with me." Seto said and led the way. "The last time I looked at my watch, it was 6:30pm. That was about half an hour ago. It's much too early to go to bed." The two realized they would have to use the stairs instead of the small elevator in the mansion. Seto opened the door to the stairwell and held it open for Mokuba.  
  
"I've always hated the stairs." Mokuba muttered, not enjoying climbing up several steps to get to the second floor. "It takes too long."  
  
"But you get a little bit of exercise." Seto murmured, having no trouble getting up the stairs. He opened the door to the second floor and shone the flashlight down the long and dark hallway. The storage room was the second floor on the right and it held many things Seto did not use anymore. Board games, decorations, and other things not common in his possession.  
  
"Here we are." Seto took out a key from his trench coat and unlocked the storage room. Dust was everywhere and at that moment, thunder shook the mansion once again and Mokuba quickly grabbed Seto's hand. "Easy, Mokuba, it's alright." Seto whispered. "What game do you want to play?"  
  
Mokuba selected three games and handed two of them to Seto. He spotted an old sketchbook on an old desk and picked it up. He inspected it and decided to bring it with him.  
  
Soon Mokuba and Seto were back in the living room, setting up one of the board games. It was the game of chess and while Seto was getting the pieces together, Mokuba flipped through the sketchbook. "Seto, weren't these your drawings?"  
  
Lightning flashed again as Seto looked up. "Let me see that." He took the sketchbook from Mokuba's outstretched hand and glanced at it. Inside were almost expert drawings of people and objects. "I can't remember..." He murmured.  
  
"They ARE yours!" Mokuba exclaimed. "I remember! Whenever you got tired of doing your work, you took out the sketchbook and drew whatever was in front of you."  
  
A loose paper fell out and Seto picked it up. "You drew this, Mokuba." Seto said softly and he handed the paper with the drawing of a Blue Eyes White Dragon on it.  
  
"Hey, yeah..." Mokuba gazed at the drawing.  
  
"You were my biggest inspiration, Mokuba." Seto told him. "Thank you."  
  
"Can you..." Mokuba shook his head. "Never mind." He stared at the chessboard.  
  
Seto insisted. "What? Can I what?"  
  
Mokuba looked up at him. "Can you draw something?" As a child, he had always been in awe of Seto's drawings. That feeling hadn't changed at all.  
  
Seto hesitated. "I don't know if I can still draw..."  
  
"I'm sure you can!" Mokuba looked around the room. He spotted something that he had gotten Seto for Christmas. "Do you remember what I got you at Christmastime? That crystal statue of a Blue Eyes!" Mokuba jumped up from the couch and then froze as thunder sounded throughout the mansion again. "Er-can I borrow a flashlight?" He asked timidly, shivering.  
  
"Of course." Seto tossed him a flashlight.  
  
'I have to be brave.' Mokuba thought as he slowly treaded along the carpet to the other side of the immense living room. 'Have to be brave for Seto.' Nevertheless, he was still very afraid of the storm outside.  
  
All of a sudden, a very harsh-sounding clap of thunder was heard and it lasted for about six seconds. It was indeed a terrible storm.  
  
Mokuba stood frozen to the carpet, not daring to move. "Mokuba?" Seto noticed the boy's statute form. "Hey, are you okay?" He frowned, standing up and moving over towards him.  
  
"T-thunder!" Mokuba croaked out. "I'm scared, Seto!"  
  
"It'll be okay." Seto put his arm around Mokuba's shoulders and gently guided him the rest of the way. "Thunder, when you think about it, is just a somewhat beautiful form of nature." He took the crystal statue off the shelf and carried it for Mokuba.  
  
"I could argue with that." Mokuba mumbled.  
  
The two sat on the couch after Seto placed the Blue Eyes on the coffee table. Seto found a pen off to the side and began to draw, first outlining the shape of the dragon. Drawing with a pen was taking a risk since one did not know if they would make a mistake.  
  
Mokuba continued to stare at Seto's hand moving at a rapid pace. "You're good!" Mokuba remarked.  
  
Seto finished the drawing and held it up. "I suppose it isn't too bad." He murmured. He turned to Mokuba and smiled. "Now, how about we start that chess game?"  
  
"Sure!"  
  
The two played games until about 9:00pm. Mokuba gradually forgot about the storm and even Seto was having fun. Whenever thunder did rear it's frightening but impressive head, Mokuba was quickly reassured by Seto.  
  
"You have nothing to worry about." Were Seto's very words.  
  
Mokuba yawned and Seto glanced at him. "It's past your bedtime." Seto observed. "Well, I am assuming it is. Come on." He said, standing up. "Let's get you to bed." Seto took Mokuba's hand and led him back upstairs to where their bedrooms were.  
  
When they reached Mokuba's sleeping quarters, Mokuba turned to his brother and requested something. "Will you sleep in my room? Just for tonight." Mokuba added hopefully. "You can get a sleeping bag."  
  
Seto considered this for a moment. "Very well. I'll grab one and sleep on the floor beside your bed." Mokuba jumped into his own bed while Seto went and found a sleeping bag. 'Never thought I had to use one in my own home.' He thought dryly as he re-entered Mokuba's room. He settled himself in, sleeping in his day clothes (except for his trench coat) and whispered to Mokuba, "Goodnight."  
  
"Night, Seto, thanks." Mokuba murmured as he settled into his own bed, a deep sleep overtaking him but not before he uttered some last words. "Love you."  
  
"I love you too." Seto whispered.  
  
'The worst is almost over.' Mokuba sleepily thought. 'If I had to, I'd relive this day all over again.'


End file.
